


I.C.E.

by edelweiss2121



Category: A3! (Anime), A3! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29778819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edelweiss2121/pseuds/edelweiss2121
Summary: Juza gets a call.
Relationships: Hyoudou Juuza/Settsu Banri
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	I.C.E.

Juza, Muku, and Kumon were splayed out on the couches in the dorm lounge. Their weekend marathon of the new anime inspired by one of Muku's favorite shoujo mangas was well on its way. Juza wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but Muku was so excited when he asked Juza to join him and Kumon that it was impossible to say no to. 

The main character was about to learn a big secret that would change the course of the plot when Juza's phone started vibrating on the coffee table. Muku gasped and scrambled to find the remote to pause. He didn't want Juza to miss the big scene.

A heavy sigh leaving his lips, Juza sat forward and reached for his phone. In glowing, white letters, the name BANRI SETTSU lit his screen up. Juza rolled his eyes. "It's just Settsu. Keep it going." Muku hit play on the remote as Juza silenced the ringing from his phone. Just a few seconds later, though, his phone started up again.

"Just answer it." Muku said, eyes pleading.

"He's probably drunk and callin' to challenge me to a fight. Again." Juza glowered at his phone.

"Or he's calling because he's been kidnapped! And his phone's data has been corrupted, so he can only call you! Maybe he's running out of time and if you don't answer, he could be killed and dropped in the middle of the ocean, never to be seen again-"

"Okay, okay! Calm down…" Juza groaned. He slid his thumb across the screen and brought the phone to his ear. 

"What?"

There was silence on the other line.

"... _ Hello? _ " Juza repeated through gritted teeth.

"U-um, is this Juza?" Instead of the aggressive tone of his exhausting rival, he heard a tentative, feminine voice.

"Yeah, uh… I'm Juza..?"

Muku and Kumon immediately tuned in to the conversation, realizing whoever was calling from Banri's phone was not, in fact, Banri. They exchanged looks of excitement and concern. Kumon whispered, "What if you were right??"

Juza shh-ed Muku and Kumon and listened quietly while this strange girl spoke. After a minute or two, he asked where she was. Kumon and Muku looked at each other again, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I can be there in, uh…" He checked the time on his phone before putting it back to his ear. "30 minutes. Can you just, like, keep him in the area 'til then?"

"I'll try."

"Thanks."

Standing, Juza sighed irritably. "Keep watching without me. I gotta go out."

"Don't tell me you're gonna go party with that bob-cut loser! And at this hour?" Kumon whined.

"Trust me, this isn't a social call." Juza called back as he headed toward the front door, keys in hand.

The air was biting. It was too cold for late-night rides. Juza scoffed to himself that he was even doing this. When Juza pulled his bike into the parking lot of a small bar, he began to scan the random groups of people for the "bob-cut loser" he was there for. He slowed down and spotted a girl who seemed to be waving at him. After rolling to a stop in front of her group, he pulled off his helmet but didn't dismount. The girl was hesitant, smiling politely and gripping her other friend's arm as if she was scared she'd run.

"Are you Juza?" She called over the engine.

"Yeah."

"He's over there, um… y’know, barfing." She pointed to a few bushes. "I'm not sure how exactly he's still standing at this point." She chuckled stiffly, glancing back toward the bushes. Just then, Banri emerged, wiping his mouth and hobbling about. He pointed finger guns at some girls who looked at him with sneers. "Ladies," he slurred.

Juza sighed through his nose, the air visible as it left him. Banri sauntered up to the girl who called Juza in the first place, throwing an arm around her shoulder. She gave a polite, forced giggled and shoved him away. "Your ride's here, Settsu."

Banri twisted around, finally registering the sound of Juza's bike. "What… the fuck?" He mumbled. "You stalkin' me noo-ow, Hyodo?" He spread his arms out in a way that said he was still willing to fight, even drunk as he clearly was. "What the hell you doin' here?"

"Ask your friend." Juza replied, heat already rising up the back of his neck at Banri's aggression.

"Wha-" Banri spun around, almost losing his footing. "Why'd you call  _ him? _ " The girl and her friend glanced at each other, then at Banri and Juza. "Well… I mean, you're wasted and need a ride home. I just called your I.C.E. You know, your ‘in case of emergency’ contact?"

Juza’s brows raised. Banri scoffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. The girls shifted awkwardly, realizing they’d walked into a dynamic they were too drunk to decipher. “Okay, well… we’re gonna go back inside. It was nice meeting you and whatever. Bye…” The girls turned away, linking arms and chattering in whispers as they left Banri and Juza alone.

Banri watched them go, then turned to Juza and slurred, “Nice asses.” 

Juza stared dryly at Banri in response. 

The only sound now was the humming engine of Juza’s motorcycle. Banri traced a line in the dirt with his shoe, though he was careful not to get any on the top. Dirty shoes ain’t cute. 

“Right, well…” Juza said. “You want a ride home or what?” His eyes were on Banri’s shoes now, too.

“With  _ you? _ ” Banri sneered.

Juza glared. Jaw tight, he began to put his helmet back on. “...‘Kay, in that case, I’m going -”

“Wait!” Banri shouted. He paused then sighed dramatically and strolled toward the bike, exaggerating how casual he was being. “I guess if you bothered to stalk me all the way out here, I better take the free ride.” He plucked the extra helmet from the back of Juza’s bike. Juza turned to watch him warily. “Who said this was a free ride? I expect you to cover the cost of the gas I’m wastin’ on you.”

“Tch.” Banri had the helmet on and swung his leg over the bike. Juza was quietly impressed that, despite how obviously plastered Banri was, he still had a grace about him. It was one of those things that Juza sort of envied Banri for, that physical grace - not that he would ever tell him that.

Banri hesitated, sitting on the back of the bike. Juza waited for him to grab on so that he didn’t fly right off when Juza took off, but nothing was happening. He turned to see that Banri was just sitting there like an idiot, staring at Juza’s back. “Dude you gotta fuckin’ hold on or your drunk ass is gonna hit the asphalt.” 

“Shut up.” Banri said, scowling. He unclenched his fists to loosely grip Juza’s jacket. The leather was ice cold in his palms. Juza silently rolled his eyes, knowing full well that the hold Banri had on his jacket would _ not _ be enough to keep him steady on the ride. He kicked the motorcycle’s stand up anyway.

As soon as they took off, Banri almost went over the side, full tilt. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around Juza’s waist tightly. This was not an outfit that would survive a meeting with the road and Banri was never, ever drunk enough to ruin the clothes he spent good money on. 

When Juza felt Banri’s arms squeeze around his ribs, he smiled smugly but kept his mouth shut. Surprisingly, even through his leather jacket, he could feel the heat that Banri’s body was radiating. It was a welcome sensation as the bitterly cold wind hit Juza full-force now that they sped down the road.

For the first few minutes of the trip, the only sound was the wind whipping around them. Banri’s arms stayed secure around Juza as they dipped into turns on the road. Juza had no concern that Banri would throw off the balance. If there was one thing he had confidence in when it came to Banri, it was that he had good instincts for doing things correctly. Riding motorcycles, getting good grades, fighting - he was always good at whatever. Juza kind of hated that. Still, it came in handy when he was giving him a drunk ride home on a bike. Someone like Kazunari or Citron might throw the whole bike sideways on a turn when they were this drunk. Not Banri, though.

Behind Juza, Banri was stiff and awkward. He was uncomfortable sitting so close to Juza, touching him in this way. When he wasn’t making knuckle-to-skin contact, Banri didn’t really know how to act with the guy. He found Juza simultaneously inspiring and infuriating in a way that he found no one else. Even looking at him stirred a strange, frustrating feeling inside him. Having his arms around him, face so close to his back, was a lot. He could handle anything, usually, but this idiot always got his goat somehow - and without even trying. Just that fact pissed Banri off, but he also knew that getting pissed off means Juza wins again by getting a rise out of him. Banri was constantly wrestling with that conundrum. 

“So why the hell am I your I.C.E.?” Juza shouted, turning his head a bit without his eyes leaving the dark road. He felt Banri’s body tense a bit.

“It was a joke.” Banri called back, closer to Juza’s ear so he could hear.

“You made your least-favorite person in the world your emergency contact as a joke?” 

“I was at a bar with some of the guys from the company and they were giving me hell for not having an emergency contact. I made you the contact as a way to say I don’t care.”

Juza chewed his inner cheek, letting that information process. So it was only because Banri hates him that much, then. Juza had a sudden urge to shake Banri off his back and leave his ass on the road. He would never, but still.

“You’re a real asshole.” Juza called, trying to mask the genuine hurt in his voice.

Banri clocked it anyway. He eyed the small sliver of Juza’s profile that he could see from behind him, but couldn’t read any sort of expression through the helmet’s protective glass. Banri swallowed. “Yeah, I know.” He said, just loudly that Juza caught it.

The duo pulled into the parking spot dedicated to Juza’s bike. The dorm’s windows were no longer lit. Juza pulled out his phone to see that Kumon had texted him that he and Muku were hitting the hay for the night. Juza quickly sent a “home safe” text back for Kumon, as he figured he wasn’t actually gonna be able to sleep until he knew that his big brother was home. Pocketing the phone, Juza then pulled his helmet off. Banri was no longer clinging to his back, but he hadn’t gotten off the bike yet. Juza didn’t turn to Banri at all as he said, “Just put the helmet back where you got it.”

Banri pulled the helmet from his head and began smoothing his hair a bit. He dismounted from the bike and hooked the helmet to the back like it was before. His eyes were trailing Juza’s shape. A foreign, guilty feeling was mingling with the usual heated ones Banri felt when he was with Juza. He backed away a bit and watched as Juza hopped off the bike and did his careful routine. He secured the helmets, made sure the kickstand was set, and all that. Banri stood idly with his hands in his pockets as Juza did so. Juza’s back was to him the whole time, but Banri could tell by his especially closed-off body language that Banri might need to do damage control. 

“Hey.” Banri called before Juza could head for the door inside.

Juza paused, not turning around. “What?”

Banri paused in this unfamiliar territory. The silence inspired Juza to start to head inside again.

“I said hey!”

“What??” Juza turned now, golden eyes bright with frustration.

Banri jutted out his chin a bit. Pride was his weakness, clearly. Especially in front of Juza. “I just wanted to say thanks.” His voice was quiet and his eyes were on Juza’s lousy-looking boots. Juza blinked at him then shrugged. “It’s whatever.” 

They headed inside, but Banri paused at the kitchen. “I’m starving. You, uh, wanna eat something..?”

Juza quirked a brow and appraised Banri. His usual hubris wasn’t quite so obvious at the moment. “With  _ you? _ ” Juza asked, his tone a bit mocking.

Banri saw Juza’s tiny smile and knew he was just messing with him now. “Keep that up and I’ll eat your cookies.” He pointed in a pseudo-threatening way, then grabbed a couple things from the kitchen to bring to room 104. Juza’s hands were stuffed in his pockets and he watched Banri gather some food. He noticed that the stuff included Juza’s favorite go-to cookies from the pantry. 

Sitting in their room, the two quietly munched away at their late-night snacks. Occasionally, Juza would glance up to find Banri looking at him, then their eyes would fall back down to their food. Banri was sitting at the taller table in their room, one foot propped up on the tabletop. Juza sat on the floor at their coffee table. Banri was sober enough to realize his staring was  _ not  _ subtle.

“You gonna speak up or keep starin’?” Juza finally asked.

Banri chewed his last bites slowly and sighed through his nose. “So what if I keep starin’? Gonna do something about it?”

Juza leaned his elbows on the coffee table and glared.

Banri pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered why he was this way. He’s over here brainstorming how to be nicer to Juza and can’t even help but try to instigate a fight. Banri cleared his throat, “I was just thinkin’... I was surprised you picked up the phone.”

Juza had a puzzled look on his face.

“You know, when that chick called you from my phone? I’m surprised you answered.”

Admittedly, Juza considered ignoring it. He considered if that was only half-true, though. It was likely that he would have decided to pick up even if Muku hadn’t laid out a ridiculous kidnapping scenario. Juza shrugged a shoulder and toyed with the empty wrappers on the table. 

“Not bad as an emergency contact is all I’m saying.” Banri clicked his tongue, eyeing Juza. “Might have to keep you listed just in case I need a ride again sometime.”

He fully expected Juza to insist he change the I.C.E. information immediately so that he wouldn’t be a bother again. It’s probably what he deserves, Banri thought. That’s why it was such a surprise when Juza just nodded. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“That’s what I said.”

The two looked at each other, sizing each other up. Maybe it was the liquor or the fact that his face was still numb from being wind-whipped, but Banri had a strangely euphoric expression on his face. He could feel it there, but for the life of him, he couldn’t hide it. Juza noticed, but he didn’t comment. Instead, a hesitant smile also grew on his face, though much smaller and reserved than Banri’s lush expression.

Banri nodded slowly. “Okay… fine it is.”

Juza stood and stretched, ready to prepare for bed. “Just bring a breath mint next time you go out. Your liquor breath fuckin’ reeks.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I may continue this but it also works as a one-shot, so we'll see. For now, this is where I'll leave it!  
> Please note that this story takes place post-act 4, so these characters are about 20-21 in the story.


End file.
